Legendary Deaf actor Andy Vasnick passes away at 97

Renca: Andy Vasnick, a Deaf actor, known for his role in theater and ASL films such as “Hard Man” and “Gerald,” has recently passed away at the age of 97. Members of the Deaf community say that he was a legendary actor.

Based on Pennsylvania School for the Deaf Archives page, Andy graduated from Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. He went to Gallaudet College (at that time, it was called college before changing it to Gallaudet University). He was one of the founders of the Alpha Sigma Pi fraternity in 1947. He went to the University of Pennsylvania and earned his M.S. degree. He did several postgraduate studies at several universities.

He taught English and drama at Gallaudet, and he was also the dean of students for a while at the New York School for the Deaf, Fanwood. Andy was one of the founding members of the National Theater of the Deaf (NTD) and was very involved with NTD. He did make a few appearances on Sesame Street with Linda Bove. Andy was featured in the Deaf Life magazine in 1997.

Throughout the life he has lived, he has mentored and advised many deaf people. When he passed away, deaf people who knew him or worked with him poured out their memories and tributes to Andy. We will show two.

CREDIT: Frank L Dattolo

https://www.facebook.com/frank.l.dattolo

CREDIT: Julia Cameron Damon

https://www.facebook.com/jcdamon/posts/pfbid02Gw3z7BAW69CRPEDPiFkh6TAj8KMsWw56wB7dGw8wKNiuc7KLPVGxpE7FjTrWgsxNl

Renca: It is clear that he was well respected and loved by many. May we remember Andy’s legacy through the deaf community’s stories of him.

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links

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391972844484118/permalink/1950753451939385/

https://liblists.wrlc.org/biographies/53846

https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Andy_Vasnick